If there’s one city with no shortage of world-class dining options, it’s London, England. This monster of a city has thousands of restaurants of every type of budget and cuisine that diners could dream of. Here’s our list of our favorite restaurants in London right now, which offers everything from searing hot Latin flavors to London’s original lobster noodles, smoky South African comfort food to a new, radical concept of a “Kitchen Without Borders.”
Sucre
Sucre is a grand, ornate dining room in SoHo, as well as London’s one and only destination for high end Argentinian cuisine. Chef Fernando Trocca brings the heat with Latin-American open fire cooking, which you can watch from the open kitchen at the back wall. The original Sucre opened in Buenos Aires 20 years ago and is still in operation. Luckily for those of us on this side of the Atlantic, it’s possible to dig into Chef Trocca’s creative and comforting South American gastronomy in the heart of SoHo.



Sucre is drop dead gorgeous with grand chandeliers made of glass bottles and wall-to-wall gilded mirrors. Despite the ornate, elegant setting, there’s still something laidback and effortless about Sucre. The circular booths are comfy and the chairs are upholstered colorful tribal designs. It’s possible to relax and mingle, as the unassuming ambience encourages freely socializing.


The food is a love letter to the South American immigrant journey, with extra love to Argentinian food culture. To start off, Sucre serves the tastiest empanada you’ll sink your teeth into. The fluffy pillow of soft dough is filled with hot melty cheese, chilli and the happy sweetness of caramelized onion. There are tasty snacks like the stuffed gordal olives with aji, fresh stone bass tostadas with sesame and avocado and shaved courgette salad with sliced almonds and lemon. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Argentinian restaurant without some prime carnivorous options. You can rip into a perfectly cooked Striploin or Bone-In Ribeye that’s smothered in chimichurri and served with a side of crisp French fries. For dessert, be sure not to miss the out-of-this-world Dulce de Leche fondant with mascarpone and hazelnut. The warm, gooey dulce de leche lava will surely change your life.


For a rich, elegant meal that’s seasoned with vibrant South American flair, Sucre is an excellent choice. For a more quick and casual option, check out Alma by Sucre, the new cocktail bar which just opened downstairs from the restaurant which serves artisan cocktails and tasty Argentinian bar snacks.
Zahter
When it comes to fantastic, high-end Turkish food, Zahter is the only name which you need to know. With its prime location in Carnaby London shopping district, Zahter is the perfect spot for a power lunch or dinner before a night on the town. The menu is split into cold mezzes, hot mezzes and platters, all of which are meticulously prepared and come with a generous helping of accoutrements.

Do not skimp on the pita and zahter, because you definitely want the pita. Zahter’s pita is beautifully crisp with charred dough bubbles on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Pair that with the cold fava mezze, which might be the most orgasmic dip you’ve ever had in your life. The whipped fava bean dip is so creamy and so rich in flavor, topped with dill, green chili peppers and spring onion dressing, which is what gives it that special kick. There’s also the fresh, colorful heirloom Domates (tomatoes) served with creamy mint yogurt suzme, almonds and a hearty dollop of olive oil. And of course, you can’t leave without trying the smoked aubergine with chili jam, fried garlic, pomegranate, almonds and a bed of fresh parsley. Basically, you really can’t go wrong with any of the cold mezzes.


Hot mezzes include rich, delectable bites like the Bosnak beef dumplings with garlic yogurt and burnt butter, hearty wood fire potatoes with gremolata and boregi cheese rolls with three types of cheeses. The larger platters are shareable and feature Turkish classics like lamb and beef kofte with pistachio and tahini yogurt.


With the most central location on Carnaby Street and the most mouthwatering mezzes in town, Zahter is a must stop for anyone craving elevated Turkish cuisine.


Kudu Grill
Kudu Grill is well worth the trip down to Peckham in South London. As part of the flourishing Kudu empire of top-notch South African cuisine, Kudu Grill easily has what it takes to become your favorite restaurant.

First of all, entering a former pub into the instantly welcoming space is everything. The style is low-key and effortless, which is a huge part of its appeal. Faded brick walls, dark wood tables and comfy velvet booths make you feel like you’re dining at an old friend’s place rather than a restaurant. The place fills up extremely quick for dinner with the lively, rambunctious chatter of happy patrons before you know it.


The food at Kudu Grill is all about beautifully grilled dishes with colorful, smoky flavors. Locally sourced products are cooked over an open-fire, reminiscent of South African barbeques and the owners’ roots. The grilled prawns with smoky sweet peri peri butter served with a creamy labneh epitomizes Kudu Grill’s artistically layered yet comforting dishes. Their signature snack is the kalahari spiced biltong, a spicy and salty cured meat from South Africa with the texture of beef jerky. Hot sizzling mains include thick roasted aubergine drizzled in sweet pepper crème and sunflower dukkah. As well as tender, juicy poussin (young chicken) seasoned with tarragon, celeriac and granny smith apple. And definitely don’t forget to try at least two or three of the irresistible sides. The crispy charred gem salad with a sweet, umami sesame dressing might be the tastiest thing on the menu and will have you licking your lips for more. Other delectable sides include roasted sweetporn with pumpkin seed and curry mayo and grilled grezzina courgettes with dill.


Whenever you want a delicious, soulful meal in a warm intimate setting, hop on down to Peckham as Kudu Grill is always the right choice.


Mandarin Kitchen
An oldie but goodie that will never go out of style. Because how could London’s original lobster noodle ever go out of style? That’s right. Mandarin Kitchen is the home of the famous Chinese lobster noodle for which foodies have been coming to London since 1978.
Mandarin Kitchen in Queensway is a staple for London’s families and foodies, where it’s always packed and the speedy staff keeps it moving. It’s not uncommon to see a line forming on the weekends. The roomy interior is modern and bright, albeit slightly stripped down. However, no one is looking at the surroundings once there’s food on the table.

At Mandarin Kitchen, you can get an entire lobster with a portion of noodles for around 60 pounds. It’s honestly a steal, considering how much lobster you’re getting and how much meat falls off the shell. The lobster is prepared Chinese-style: smothered in salty garlic scallion sauce on top of a large helping of chewy noodles. The lobster is generous and meaty. With the saucy noodles to slurp them down, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. You can get the noodles


Other than the star Lobster Noodles, Mandarin Kitchen has an extensive menu of can’t-go-wrong Chinese dishes for the whole family. You can dig into stuffed crab claws, steamed scallops with garlic soya sauce, Cantonese roast duck and more. You can bet that the entire restaurant is full of happy slurping and chowing on delicious family-style Chinese food at every table at Mandarin Kitchen.

